Quoted from 474

Exactly! Or is this deeper than any of us can imagine?

Until now I have stayed silent on this subject, mostly because I don't live in Schenectady. Since the discussion has made its way
into Rotterdam there are a few questions that have always been on my mind, so I would ask (I apologize if someone has already
asked somewhere on this thread), in addition to the obvious questions about school officials and their knowledge of Raucci's
activities:

During all the years that Raucci was allegedly committing criminal acts (harassing, threatening, etc.) against others in and out of the
school system, didn't anyone file complaints with the police? If so, where are they, and why didn't we hear about them? If not, why?

And why does it seem that no real action was taken until he allegedly blew up a cop's door?

Why did DA Carnage state upon Raucci's arrest that records related to this case would immediately be sealed from the public,
which conveniently occurred right around the time of pending candidate endorsements?

Why did Bob Hamilton give Carnival Bob the Conservative Party endorsement, after insisting for more than a year before Carney's
unopposed re-election, that he would never endorse him, despite his subserviency to the Democrats and the endorsement of their
liberal candidates?

What would any police reports filed, or other records reveal about the troubled SPD, with whom any complaints from the
Schenectady area would have been filed? Were the complaints investigated? Were complainants satisfied with those
investigative efforts, or were other law enforcement agencies contacted?

...just wondering.

Great questions gadfly! I believe all parties you mention are inner-twined in this mess. And proof of that is the constant delay for raucci's trial. Couple that with sealed documents not being released to the public AND the possible relocation of Ely!

Will we ever get the real facts? WHERE'S THE ATTORNEY GENERAL? WHERE'S THE FBI? WHERE'S THE PEOPLE WITH THE PITCH FORKS?

Quoted from gadfly

Until now I have stayed silent on this subject, mostly because I don't live in Schenectady. Since the discussion has made its way
into Rotterdam there are a few questions that have always been on my mind, so I would ask (I apologize if someone has already
asked somewhere on this thread), in addition to the obvious questions about school officials and their knowledge of Raucci's
activities:

During all the years that Raucci was allegedly committing criminal acts (harassing, threatening, etc.) against others in and out of the
school system, didn't anyone file complaints with the police? If so, where are they, and why didn't we hear about them? If not, why?

And why does it seem that no real action was taken until he allegedly blew up a cop's door?

Why did DA Carnage state upon Raucci's arrest that records related to this case would immediately be sealed from the public,
which conveniently occurred right around the time of pending candidate endorsements?

Why did Bob Hamilton give Carnival Bob the Conservative Party endorsement, after insisting for more than a year before Carney's
unopposed re-election, that he would never endorse him, despite his subserviency to the Democrats and the endorsement of their
liberal candidates?

What would any police reports filed, or other records reveal about the troubled SPD, with whom any complaints from the
Schenectady area would have been filed? Were the complaints investigated? Were complainants satisfied with those
investigative efforts, or were other law enforcement agencies contacted?

...just wondering.

Great questions Gadfly.  I am glad you are back commenting on this topic.
I am told that there were many complaints made to the administrators (past &present)at school.
Carney is right with his comments that the administrators were beholden to Raucci,etc.
I don't see how the endorsement of Carney has anything to do with the Raucci case.
You are right that complaints were made to other police departments and Raucci was never arrested and possibly never questioned.  FOIL and you may get more details.

As far as trying to paint Rotterdam Police in a negative light because they relentlessly investigated complaints made to them in which Raucci was a suspect- you have me a little confused there.  If I remember correctly, some lawsuit against Raucci came out against Raucci and the school district by a Rotterdam resident that had his car blown up or damaged in some way.  The guy was the one Raucci played the "man-game" with.  I am told by several people that Rotterdam cops took the complaints from this guy and the one where a door was blown up (not a cop's door) as you claimed, very seriously.  I think that you should be praising your Rotterdam cops instead of criticizing them cuz if they didn't arrest the guy- you would still be paying him about 140,000 a year to do his thing...  Obviously he terrorized many over the years.  If you doubt that, you should go to the trial in March.

I know you hate Dagostino and the Hamiltons and Carney, but you should try to state the facts more accurately.  

Quoted from 492

Great questions Gadfly.  I am glad you are back commenting on this topic.
I am told that there were many complaints made to the administrators (past &present)at school.
Carney is right with his comments that the administrators were beholden to Raucci,etc.
I don't see how the endorsement of Carney has anything to do with the Raucci case.
You are right that complaints were made to other police departments and Raucci was never arrested and possibly never questioned.  FOIL and you may get more details.

As far as trying to paint Rotterdam Police in a negative light because they relentlessly investigated complaints made to them in which Raucci was a suspect- you have me a little confused there.  If I remember correctly, some lawsuit against Raucci came out against Raucci and the school district by a Rotterdam resident that had his car blown up or damaged in some way.  The guy was the one Raucci played the "man-game" with.  I am told by several people that Rotterdam cops took the complaints from this guy and the one where a door was blown up (not a cop's door) as you claimed, very seriously.  I think that you should be praising your Rotterdam cops instead of criticizing them cuz if they didn't arrest the guy- you would still be paying him about 140,000 a year to do his thing...  Obviously he terrorized many over the years.  If you doubt that, you should go to the trial in March.

I know you hate Dagostino and the Hamiltons and Carney, but you should try to state the facts more accurately.  

I was only asking questions...thank you for some answers.
I did not question Carney's statements about administrators beholden to Raucci...I am questioning his decision to withhold
information from the public about this case at the same time he was endorsed by a member of the police department involved.
It certainly was not my intention to malign our RPD...they are the only ones who were finally able to arrest him - for anything.
And I can easily believe that Raucci was a serial terrorist of sorts...I really don't doubt that. At the time of the incident, I was told
by a police officer who lives on the street that it was a mailbox. The whole thing was handled pretty quietly at the time.I didn't hear
anything about a door until his arrest was in the news years later.
For the record, I do not hate anyone. I'm not sure where the Dagostinos were indicated, but I have never said anything bad about
Dominick...I don't know him that well and in the few contacts we've had he has never been anything but pleasant and courteous to
me. I do not like some of the things his mother has done, and I do not like what his father did with election signs this past fall...but
I have never held any of it against Dominick, although it was disappointing the way he smeared Joe Lazzari with confidential records.
And I have absolutely no respect or admiration whatsoever for Carnival Bob. He is a liberal political hack who boasts about his perfect
conviction record that is nothing more than severely watered down plea deals...is it any wonder criminals love it here? I have witnessed,
first hand, his gross abuse of authority for the purpose of political revenge. No, I don't like that either...just as I do not like Bob
Hamilton's exploitation of the conservative members of our party, or his blatant disregard for city taxpayers who pay him, very well at
that, to not work. Three days a year does not count. I doubt I am alone in that opinion.
I recognize the difference between questions and facts, and I would not let my opinions misconstrue facts.
Oh and one more thing...thanks for the welcome.  

The next question is:

HOW DID NICKI DILEVA NOT KNOW WHAT RAUCCI WAS UP TO IN HER OWN SCHOOL IN WHICH
SHE IS THE PRINCIPAL?  

Quoted from marymagdelene1234

The next question is:

HOW DID NICKI DILEVA NOT KNOW WHAT RAUCCI WAS UP TO IN HER OWN SCHOOL IN WHICH
SHE IS THE PRINCIPAL?  

That, my cyber friend, is the million dollar question that many rotterdam residents are scratching their head over. And many residents aren't too happy that she is sitting on the 'their' town board.

If she tries to run rotterdam the way HER wonderful city school district is run.....we're screwed! There were many in the city school district that knew what raucci was doing. There were numerous complaints. So tell me how the hell does a principle of a school, who has their finger on the pulse of the district, allow a 'terrorist' to be in such close contact with those kids?

there are only 2choices for these folks.....

1. knew and agreed
2. didn't know and weren't that 'in charge'

Quoted from marymagdelene1234

The next question is:

HOW DID NICKI DILEVA NOT KNOW WHAT RAUCCI WAS UP TO IN HER OWN SCHOOL IN WHICH
SHE IS THE PRINCIPAL?  

If the residents were so upset BT how come she was elected? Of course, I asked this BEFORE the election and was met with dead silence {including by her opponent}.

     Here's the answer-she didn't see him, she never heard about him, he has working weekends (ha-ha) and off site. Same pre-canned answer all the administrators give. Gladfly is right and this goes much further than anyone has stated so far.

Quoted Text

Another good idea likely to be futile

By MARV     CERMAK COVERING SCHENECTADY
First published in print: Tuesday, February 16, 2010

A citizen committee commissioned by the Schenectady Board of Education to do a budget search in hopes of discovering how to operate schools more economically is an exercise in futility.
     
This is nothing new. In the past, the school board and City Council empaneled similar committees. I attended and reported on most of the meetings of both groups. Despite numerous lengthy sessions the committees failed to come up with any measurable savings.
Whether it is a school district or state and local government budget they all have one thing in common: personnel costs account for about 75 to 80 percent of annual spending.

The balance of the budget buys operational hardware and power, insurance, telephone and computer service and other non-personnel costs.

Almost without exception, public employees receive an annual pay raise while the tax burden for their lifelong low co-pay health insurance and pension plans keeps mounting.

The politicians and school board members don't dare hold the line on personnel costs because they fear the wrath of arm-twisting public employee unions at election time.

Some powerful unions concerned about the backlash of runaway government/school budget shortfalls recently bought a barrage of advertisements trumpeting the work of their members.

This isn't necessary because most public employees are known to put in a good day's work. The problem is that tax rates needed to support them are going out of sight.

When very prosperous Saratoga Springs lays off dozens of workers including cops and firefighters you can't help but wonder if the wheels will start coming off the entire public employment system.



Read more: http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=901113&category=MCERMAK#ixzz0fhATfs0Y

No one said they weren't good......we just cant afford all your personal amenities that come with you......GET OFF MY BACK.....

Private companies are laying off workers in large numbers but the public sector hasn't done the same to try and get through the tough economic crisis. This situation is not going to end well as the fewer private workers can't support the larger number of public workers with lucrative salaries and benefits for much longer unless the economy starts to pick up and people get back to work.

What nobody wants to talk about  the millions of dollars of State cuts coming to every school district. Shadow is right, as usual, and wait until next year when the Obama porkulus money dries up. Hundreds of teachers/administrators will face the same fate as the private sector.

     Marv should hold off criticism until this commission files a report. Yes, there are the usual nonprofit and union suspects but several leading business people have also stepped up to tackle the record City school fiscal crisis. Let's wait until we hear the cuts before complaining.

Quoted from Shadow

Private companies are laying off workers in large numbers but the public sector hasn't done the same to try and get through the tough economic crisis. This situation is not going to end well as the fewer private workers can't support the larger number of public workers with lucrative salaries and benefits for much longer unless the economy starts to pick up and people get back to work.

If this trend continues, private businesses will continue to close or leave the state due to the high taxes. Which will cause taxes to go up even higher.

Quoted from bumblethru

If this trend continues, private businesses will continue to close or leave the state due to the high taxes. Which will cause taxes to go up even higher.

I know a lot of people dislike our current trend of recruiting people from other countries to live in Schenectady.  Now imagine if we didn't?  It would be a wild west ghost town.. well.. more of one.

Quoted from Vaedur

I know a lot of people dislike our current trend of recruiting people from other countries to live in Schenectady.  Now imagine if we didn't?  It would be a wild west ghost town.. well.. more of one.

They dislike until they try to sell their property?

     NEWSFLASH: The Guyanese are fleeing because of record taxes and lack of any employment opportunities. Just like every other group.